A heartbreaking retirement with just one hour remaining in “88th Bol d’Or”
From September 16 (Tue) to 21 (Sun), 2025, AutoRace Ube Racing Team competed in Round 4 of the FIM Endurance World Championship, the 88th Bol d’Or, held at Circuit Paul Ricard in France.
For the team’s very first overseas race, riders Naomichi Uramoto, Loris Baz, and newly joined Leandro Mercado were selected. Despite being a wildcard entry, the team impressed in qualifying by securing 5th overall.
Starting the race from 5th on the grid, the #76 AUTORACE UBE RACING TEAM BMW M1000RR ran as high as 4th place. The team lost some time due to brake pad changes and a silencer replacement during the race, but overall they progressed steadily and delivered a performance that attracted international broadcast coverage.
However, after 22 hours and 46 minutes, Leandro Mercado felt engine trouble and made an emergency pit stop. Although the team considered sending the bike back out for a single lap in order to take the checkered flag, we ultimately prioritized safety and decided to retire.
It was an extremely disappointing result given the consistent performance up to that point, but the team gained valuable experience from their first-ever 24-hour race. AutoRace Ube Racing Team will use this as a foundation for further challenges in both the FIM Endurance World Championship and the MFJ JSB1000 Race.